Ladies of the Court
by Josain Chennuth
Summary: All Uma wanted was to survive her senior year of high school. She finds the most popular clique in school inviting her into their ranks, and who is she to say no? However, her Solid Teflon Senior Year takes a dark turn, and it all started with cornnuts. Heathers AU, JD!Harry x Veronica!Uma, rated M for language and themes of suicide and other dark themes.
1. Beautiful

_September 1st._

 _Dear Diary,_

 _I may not be perfect, but I think I'm a good person. I like to believe that there's good in everyone, but here we are. First Day of Senior Year! (Can you hear the sarcasm?) I'm looking at all these kids I've known my whole life, and I can't help but wonder…_

 _What happened?_

Uma looked up from the private domain of her turquoise journal and pushed her glasses back up the bridge of her nose with a single finger. All around her, teens of all grades, races, shapes, and sizes buzzed through the halls like worker bees in a hormone-filled hive. The cliques were pathetically obvious, and the popularity class system worked just like the food chain in the Amazon rainforest. There were predators and prey, and one never changed from one to another. The teachers were supposed to be those tree-hugging hippies who try to save the rainforest, but they were more like the greedy illegal hunters who make life even more difficult for the creatures in the school.

Through all the chaos in the locker-bound forest, Uma could hear the distinct and overused taunts:

"Freak!"

"Slut!"

"Burnout!"

"Bug-eyes!"

"Poser!"

"Lardass!"

She shook her head to herself. It seemed like it was just yesterday that they were all laughing on the playground and napping in the classroom. Now look at them! The nice boy turned into a stuck up, preppy stud. The shy girl is now a young republicanette. Uma knew there was once a time when they were all friends, but things were different. It seemed like everyone found a higher rank in the social hierarchy while she remained on the bottom.

There was a particular incident tied to that, but that's a story for another time…

"Loser!"

"Short-bus"

Uma stood up from her place on the stairs and headed towards the cafeteria for lunch. She kept her eyes trained on the tiled floor in front of her, avoiding eye contact with any of the simple minds around her. More insults flew around her.

"Bull dyke!"

"Stuck up!"

"Hunchback!"

Uma blamed growing up. Suddenly people became 'too cool' for others. You were no longer judged based on your character. Rather, you were characterized by your ability to throw a football or your skill with mascara. Uma never cared to put effort into either, preferring to spend her time developing her mind. She wished her classmates did the same, but their insistence on putting others down turned high school into an eternal cage match.

At the very least, they'd all be graduating and parting ways. Uma couldn't wait to go to college, but she'd have to survive this hell until June.

"White trash!"

 _"At least I know that one isn't directed at me."_ Uma rolled her eyes and sighed.

Uma knew people could change. They could go back to how they were before. The class system could disintegrate. She prayed that people could let go of all this social pressure and archaic nonsense. They could be… _beautiful._

Right as Uma entered the cafeteria, she saw the preppy stud–Ben–knock over the hipster dork–Carlos.

 _"Yeah, that ain't happening today,"_ Uma concluded.

Uma strode over to her usual lunch table. It was in a secluded corner, and no one else sat there. Well, there was one other person. Now, where was he?

"Freak!"

"Slut!"

"Cripple!"

"Homo! Homo! HOMO!"

There he is.

"Hey Gil," Uma greeted her best friend as he sat beside her. He had the build of a football player, but he preferred not to use his inherent athleticism for tossing a ball or tackling meatheads. He had a huge heart, but around here, that just wasn't enough. To make matters worse for Uma's blond friend, he was the only outed gay in the whole school.

"Hey Uma," replied Gil. Uma thought Gil coming out was the most courageous and admirable thing anyone has ever done in the history of Auradon Prep, but that didn't save him from bullying and constant ridicule. He put on a brave face, but Uma knew a small part of him hurt every time someone shouted 'Homo' at him like it was a bad thing.

"Don't pay attention to them," Uma advised, comfortingly rubbing his beefy shoulder. "They won't matter in a year when we graduate and get on with our lives."

"Yeah, I know," Gil sighed as he twiddled his thumbs on the table. Anxious to change the subject, he quickly asked, "Where are you applying?"

"Auradon, Atlantica, and Olympus," Uma listed, counting off on her fingers. One of those universities would become her sanctuary. "Hopefully I get into Atlantica so that I can just take my diploma and blow this popsicle stand."

Uma hated where she lived. The kids were animals. The adults were useless. Years of practice in suppressing her anger issues kept Uma from lighting a match and setting fire to this dump.

Uma and Gil stood up to get into the lunch line. They followed the trail of teens without much trouble and picked up their trays. Of course, that was just the calm before the storm. Right before they could actually enter the kitchen to get their food, Uma's tray was roughly smacked out of her hands.

"Oooooooooooooooooops," said a tantalizing voice. Uma's blood boiled at the sight of a blue and gold letterman jacket. Gil, on the other hand, had heart eyes.

"Chad Charming," Gil said in a dreamy sigh. "Third year as linebacker."

"And eighth year of being a huge dick," Uma spat as she crossed her arms over her chest. She said it loud enough that Chad could hear her.

The senior jock spun around and reared on Uma, eyes narrowed and a frown etched into his chiseled face. "What did you say to me, Shrimpy."

"Nothing," Uma said through gritted teeth. She was biting back a whole ton of profane slurs that were sure to go over Chad's rock of a brain. Yes, she had a life of bitterness held inside her, but she kept it capped to avoid trouble. Then again, when you were stuck with a nickname like Shrimpy, it became difficult.

Chad pointed two fingers at his eyes, and then he pointed them at Uma's, giving an unspoken warning that he was watching her. He walked away, and Uma sighed out her frustration in a breath she didn't know she was holding. She turned to Gil, who was staring at Chad as he walked off. Uma narrowed her eyes. "Why do you have a thing for him again?" She asked him, picking her lunch tray up again.

"We have a bit of a history," Gil smirked proudly. Uma let him live in his fantasy, but she knew their 'history' was in kindergarten. That was before Chad became a shallow jock.

They resumed droning through the lunch line, but Uma forgot the basic rule of post-puberty predators: They always travel in packs.

"FAG ALERT!" Another voice hollered as yet another letterman clad arm smacked Gil's tray out of his hands. Uma looked the newcomer up and down, from his tight man-bun to his sneakers.

 _Jay Kelly. Quarterback. He's the smartest guy on the football team…_

 _Which is kind of like being the tallest dwarf._

"Hey, pick that up!" Uma ordered the quarterback, her annoyance getting the better of her. She stepped in front of Gil and pointed at the fallen tray with an expectant glare. It was an odd sight for sure. The homosexual giant hiding behind the nerdy girl who has at least a head shorter than him.

"I'm sorry," Jay laughed with an arrogant air about him. "Are you actually talking to me?"

Chad decided then to come back, glaring at Uma over Jay's shoulder. "My buddy Jay just asked you a question."

Jay looked at Chad, and they exchanged a knowing nod before turning their sights back on Uma.

"As a matter of fact, I am talking to you," Uma retorted. Gil had a fearful expression. He was worried she might say something that would haunt them later. Uma jabbed her finger into Jay's chest and said, "I wanna know what makes you think you can pick on my friend. You're a high school has-been in the making, a future gas station attendant."

Jay took one step forward, and Uma's flight response made her shrink back against Gil. She was a lot of talk, but she knew she couldn't actually take any of these guys down. Jay stared at her with a scrutinizing expression before pressing his finger in between her eyebrows, making Uma go cross-eyed. "You got a zit right there," said Jay.

Jay, Chad, and a few surrounding kids shared in a chorus of laughter, as if a blemish on Uma's face was the funniest thing in the world. Uma pushed past them with Gil following close behind, and they went through the lunch line as quickly as possible.

After they sat back down at their otherwise empty lunch table, Uma flipped her journal back open and scribbled at the bottom of today's entry:

 _Dear Diary,_

 _Why?_

Suddenly, time seemed to stop in the cafeteria. Uma looked up from her journal to see the double doors opened wide, and three omnipotent figures strutted in. They stole the attention of every student, and even a few teachers stopped what they were doing to watch them. It was their first lunchroom entrance of senior year. They had to make an impression.

They are the Ladies of the Court, self-proclaimed princesses of Auradon Prep.

They float above all the animalistic chaos. They go down the halls in their color-coordinated blazers, school-girl skirts, and high socks, and no one ever bothers them. They were envied, loved, and worshipped like goddesses.

Uma would give anything to be like them.

 _There's Evie McNamara. Head Cheerleader. Her family is absolutely loaded. Her dad sells engagement rings and her mom is the most successful designer in Auradon. Some argue it's criminal how much money she has._

The young fashionista wore blue to match her hair, and her ruby-red lips curled in satisfaction as jocks all around her drooled at her feet.

 _There's Audrey Duke. She runs the yearbook committee. She doesn't possess any substance or personality, but her mother did pay for implants._

The pink-clad princess flipped her hair over her shoulder and winked promiscuously at no one in particular, but a pack of nerds passed out, thinking she was looking at them. Uma scoffed at the comical eyesore that was her protruding chest.

 _And then there's Mal Chandler. The Almighty._

The purple-wearing leader of the Ladies of the Court blew a teasing kiss.

 _She can be described rather simply…_

"What a Mythic Bitch," grumbled Uma as she capped her pen.

They were a sign sent from God. They were the reason to live for almost every student in the cafeteria. Guys wanted to be their boyfriends. Girls wanted to sit at their table. Anything from a Lady of the Court was considered a blessing, a gift which should be cherished.

Uma would have to disagree on account that it was Mal Chandler who bestowed upon her the catchy alias, Shrimpy.

"I wish they were nicer," Gil remarked, shoving another egg into his mouth. Uma smiled at him. It was little comments like that which gave Uma hope for the world. Gil might not be the brightest, but he knew the difference between right and wrong. Some people can't tell the difference. That's why sociopathic murderers existed.

Uma stabbed her fork into the soggy salad. "I wish they'd drop dead," she said matter-of-factly.

Gil nearly choked on his egg in shock. He covered his mouth with his hand and forced himself to swallow his food. He grabbed his milk carton and took a big gulp, washing down anything else that could choke him. After he regained his composure, he looked at Uma in utter disbelief. Uma gave him an innocent smile, seeing just how long she could pull his leg.

"Kidding," she chuckled, punching him playfully in the shoulder. Gil relaxed and went back to eating his lunch.

Even if it was a joke, Uma wondered to herself, _"What would life without those upstarts be like?"_

After lunch, Uma walked into the bathroom only to hear the vile sound of someone puking up their lunch in one of the stalls.

"Grow up, Audrey." Uma heard the venomous voice of Mal, and when she actually turned the corner, she found Mal and Evie fixing their makeup in front of the mirrors. "Eating disorders are so last year," Mal said admonishingly.

"Yeah Audrey," Evie agreed with Mal. "Maybe you should see a doctor."

"Yeah Evie, maybe I should," said a voice inside the stall that must've been Audrey. Uma really didn't want to make her presence known, so she waited in her hiding spot until the Ladies left. However, makeup and purging take a long time, so Uma found herself standing there way longer than she planned. The late bell rang, and the three girls still didn't move from where they stood.

Uma heard the door open and watched as a teacher, Ms. Godmother, walked in. She didn't notice Uma, but she did notice the solid Teflon standing at the sinks.

"Ah, Mal and Evie," Godmother said in an unsurprised tone. Once again, a guttural retch sounded from the stalls. "And Audrey," she added, holding back her disgust. "Perhaps you all missed the bell. You're late for class."

"Audrey wasn't feeling well," Mal said with a pout. "Evie and I were helping her."

"Not without a hall pass, you're not," Godmother chastised, and Uma pulled out her journal and flipped to a blank page, suddenly getting an idea. She carefully scratched into the page with her pen while Ms. Godmother continued talking to Mal. "One week of detention for all of you."

Mal opened her mouth to protest, but Uma stepped out from behind the corner and beat her to it. "Wait, Ms. Godmother." She ripped out the page and handed it to the teacher while she explained, "All four of us are on a hall pass."

Ms. Godmother inspected the slip of paper before giving it to Mal and sighing, "I see you're all listed. Just hurry up and get to where you need to be."

Uma moved aside to let Ms. Godmother leave. Meanwhile, Evie looked over Mal's shoulder as they both curiously eyed their 'hall pass.' Even Audrey put her vomiting on hold to check out what all the fuss was about.

"This is an excellent forgery," Mal noted, turning her glare onto Uma. "Who are you?" she demanded.

"Seriously, Mal?" Uma asked, unimpressed. "It's Uma. We've been in the same class since preschool."

All three of them looked up in thought, trying to put the name to a familiar face, but they all shrugged. They gave her clueless expressions like they had no idea who she was.

Uma rolled her eyes and grudgingly added, "Shrimpy."

Mal and her triplets erupted into delighted laughter as realization finally dawned on them. Mal clapped her hands together and grinned like a Cheshire Cat. "Oh, little Shrimpy," she cooed maliciously, looking Uma up and down like her next meal. "How delicious."

"Cut the crap, Mal," Uma demanded, pushing her glasses back. "You owe me for the hall pass. I'm here to make a deal."

"What deal?" Mal inquired with an edge to her voice.

Uma didn't actually think she'd get this far. It almost seemed like she rubbed a lamp and now had one wish to be granted by three airhead genies. They could make her senior year less insufferable. They had the power of popularity that Uma lacked. She took a deep breath and said quickly, "Let me sit at your table during lunch. Kids'll leave me alone if they see that you guys tolerate me."

Once again, they all shared a laugh. Uma set her jaw, doing her best not to throw her journal at the purple-haired witch. Mal would crucify her for that.

"I also forge report cards, permission slips, and absence notes," Uma added, and that seemed to peak their interests. They stopped their chuckles to hear her out. "I can also mimic voices and call the school as your parents to say you need to miss a week of school on family business."

Mal quirked her eyebrow and walked up to Uma. She stared into Uma's eyes with her poison-green ones, and Uma returned her glare in spades. Mal chuckled, "For a shrimpy little nobody, you sure have some backbone."

Evie, who was right behind her, pulled Uma's glasses right off her face and held her hand perpendicular to Uma's nose. "Oh my God!" she exclaimed. "She even has a symmetrical face!" Now, Uma was half-blind and very uncomfortable.

"Her style is sorely lacking, though," Audrey added distastefully. Uma really wanted to punch her in her surgically altered nose. What was wrong with a blue-floral dress and a jean jacket?

Well, it wasn't a blazer and a scrunchie.

"We can fix that," Evie said confidently, pulling Uma's arm up and inspecting her like a dissected frog.

"You heard her, Audrey," Mal said, crossing her arms. The three of them surrounded Uma like a prison of mascara and shoulder pads. She had no way of escape, but maybe she didn't want to escape. Maybe she was in for one of those acclaimed blessings. Mal smirked, "Let's make her beautiful."

She tilted her head and asked Uma pointedly, "Okay?"

Uma had no idea what she was really in for. "Okay."

* * *

 **Hey Guys! For anyone who knows me on Tumblr dxscxndxnts, you know that I've been writing some Heathers AU one-shots. They were started by two other users who I tagged in my posts. Well, I've decided to make it a full fanfic and put it up here. It'll incorporate elements from the movie and musical, and of course, Descendants. Let me know what you guys thought of chapter one. Hope you enjoyed it! -JoJo**


	2. Candy Store

**A/N: Before we get started, I wanted to mention that the time period for this is probably around the 2000s because I will include flip phones, but the style is still 1989. Enjoy!**

* * *

 _September 19_

 _Dear Diary,_

 _Today marks the end of my third week as a Lady of the Court. I thought being friends with Mal, Audrey, and Evie might make my life easier. While it did clear the problem of kids picking on me, it's also brought about a whole new set of challenges._

Uma pressed her pen against the page and closed her journal on top of it. She pushed the book into her locker and reached for the small door, but she stopped short when she caught the eye of a stranger in the small mirror which sat inside of her locker. She didn't wear her glasses anymore, and she now applied makeup every school-day morning to keep up with the standards expected of her. Her wardrobe was revamped as well. Her teal blazer was rather restrictive, and she felt the need to pull down her grey skirt every two seconds because it was so short. It never budged because the belt was pulled too tightly around her waist. Her braids were trapped in a scrunchie-held pony tail. The only comfortable parts of her outfit were the black converse and knee-high socks. At least they fit properly and covered up some of her legs.

Uma tried for a friendly smile at the vaguely familiar reflection. She may look different, but she knew that she was the same person underneath the razzle-dazzle. Right?

"Hey, Uma." Uma slammed her locker shut and turned to her side to find Gil. He seemed more reserved than usual with his hands shoved into his jean pockets and shoulders tensed up.

"Hey Gil," Uma greeted her friend with a smile as she leaned against the lockers. "What's up?"

"Oh, not much," Gil replied, staring at the floor. If Uma didn't know any better, she'd think he was nervously trying to ask her out. She found this was the case with more people than just Gil. Everyone treated her differently just because she was friends with Mal, Evie, and Audrey. Gil ran a hand through his free-flowing hair and said, "I was just thinking it's been a while since we've hung out."

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that," Uma sighed. "It's been hard for me to find time recently, but we should definitely rent a DVD or something real soon."

"Great," Gil grinned, relieved and relaxed since Uma was still talking to him like a friend. "You free tonight?"

Uma's expression fell. "I can't tonight," she admitted solemnly. "I'm going to Audrey's after school."

"Oh, um," Gil stuttered, his nerves coming back. "Tomorrow night?"

Uma exhaled a deep breath and closed her eyes, annoyed at how difficult this was becoming. "I can't. Mal is dragging me to Chad's homecoming party."

"Wow, er…" Gil trailed off, mustering up the best smile he could. His eyes darted all over but never landed on Uma's, and it scared her how much their friendship had changed over three weeks. "Maybe some other time."

"Totally," Uma agreed enthusiastically, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I'm really sorry, Gil. I wish we could hang out this weekend, I really do."

"Nah, it's fine," Gil shook his head, and Uma let herself believe that he actually was okay. "You're with the Ladies of the Court now. That's pretty darn exciting."

"It's whatever," Uma said, dismissively waving her hand like it was no big deal. She was about to say something else, but she was interrupted by an increasingly familiar voice behind her.

"Uma, Mal needs you in the Caf, pronto," sang the ever charming voice of Evie. Gil took that as his cue to leave, giving Uma a quick wave before walking down the hall to the library. Uma rolled her eyes and turned to Evie with a fake smile.

"How very," said Uma.

The two began a slow walk to the cafeteria, making small talk along the way. Of Uma's new friends, she found Evie to be the least ruthless. She had that picture-perfect school girl personality down to a T. Her cheerleader pep was in no way faked, and she was more committed to her studies than the other two in her squad. Uma could barely stand Audrey and Mal without Evie to balance it out, which is why Uma dreaded days like today. She'd be alone with Mal and Audrey at the ladder's house while Evie completed community service at the middle school.

"Why can't you just skip today?" Uma whined, already in a sour mood just thinking about helping Audrey pick the best shade of pink while Mal pestered her about how superior purple was.

"I've told you before, I'm a role model to some of these kids," Evie gushed proudly, clapping her hands together. "They're like the next generation of the Ladies of the Court."

"Great," Uma replied sarcastically before adding to herself, _"Just great."_

Evie may have been the least ruthless, but she was still ruthless in her own way.

When they finally entered the cafeteria, Uma was hit by the usual wave of blurred voices. Back when she was a nobody, she'd keep herself entertained during lunch by just listening. She never cared about the conversations, but she focused on the minute details of each voice. Thanks to her uncanny ability to impersonate anyone–taught to her by her mother–Uma could probably take on the voice of anyone in the lunchroom after years of just listening.

Nowadays, she hated picking out voices and listening to what they had to say. The nice thing about being a nobody was that people didn't usually think to talk about you behind your back. No one cared. Now that Uma was practically high school royalty, her name was frequently in people's mouths. Things that people used to only say about Mal, Evie, and Audrey now applied to her. For example:

"I'd love to be her boyfriend." Some boys now said that about Uma.

"I wish I could sit with her at lunch." Uma was often made uncomfortable by the envy.

"What a stone-cold bitch." Uma has yet to do anything horribly wrong since she climbed to the top of the social ladder, but she's still a bitch by association.

"I'd like to kidnap one of them and photograph her naked in an abandoned warehouse and leave her tied up for the rats." Uma avoided going anywhere near people who said that.

"What do you want, Mal?" Uma inquired boredly as she and Evie sat at their lunch table opposite of Mal and Audrey.

Mal pulled out four clipboards with a proud smirk and said, "Guess what day it is."

"Lunchtime poll?" Uma guessed, pulling a fry off Audrey's lunch tray and popping it into her mouth. Audrey didn't mind; she wasn't actually planning on digesting it anyway.

"Of course!" Mal replied, pushing the clipboards forward so everyone could take one and read it over. Audrey and Evie were making murmurs of agreement and praise, but Uma quirked her eyebrow.

"This is the stupidest question I've ever read," Uma deadpanned.

"I didn't ask for your input, Shrimpy," Mal snapped back, and Uma shrugged in response. Mal still insisted on using that insulting nickname. It irked Uma to no end, but it gave her more practice in hiding her anger. Mal rolled her eyes and continued, "The yearbook committee gave me a difficult topic this week–" she gave Audrey a pointed glare "–and I did the best I could. Just ask people the question and record their answer."

"Aye aye, captain," Uma drawled, picking up her clipboard and standing up to begin her rounds. However, she didn't get two steps in before she stopped dead in her tracks. She was frozen to the spot by a pair of icy blue eyes on the edge of the cafeteria. They were watching her from across the room, through the crowds and the clutter. She racked her brain for the voice that matched the eyes, but nothing came to her. She thought that was impossible.

 _"Must be a new kid,"_ Uma thought to herself.

"Shrimpy, come back for a sec," Mal called her back, and Uma blinked herself out of her temporary paralysis. She turned around, forgetting about the blue eyes, and gave Mal her attention. "I need you to give me your best impersonation of Chad Charming."

Uma didn't bother asking why. She pursed her lips together, took one look at the jock in question sitting at his table with the rest of his football team, and took a deep, phlegmy breath through her nose. Then, in his voice, she said, "Hey man, you wanna go beat up some geeks after school?"

"Very nice," Mal said, a devilish gleam in her green eyes. "But I need something a little more flirty." Uma gave her a confused look, but Mal was already beside her before she could object. She put a hand on Uma's shoulder, clenching just a little too tightly, and led her over to a support beam near the football table. They didn't look at the jocks, and they went unnoticed by the boys as well, but Uma knew what Mal wanted her to do: listen.

"Okay, you're in a babe sandwich," Chad proposed to the table, his mouth full of food. "Pick your top and your bottom."

Uma tried to push past Mal. "I do not want to hear this," she stated.

Mal pulled her back by her elbow and chastised her in a whisper, "Just do it. Audrey will come around any minute to do the poll, and Chad will practically fall at her feet. Keep listening."

"What do you need a flirty Chad voice for anyway?" Uma asked, leaning against the beam.

"I'll explain later," was all Mal said before Uma went back to eavesdropping on the conversation.

"Mal Chandler on top, and Uma Sawyer on the bottom," said Jay smugly, and Uma visibly cringed. There was a perfect example of her name coming up in a conversation that she'd much rather be left out of.

"My God, that's gross," Uma mumbled.

"At least he has taste," noted Mal with a shrug. She clearly wasn't as bothered as Uma was by being apart of Jay's threesome fantasy.

Chad took his turn to answer his own question. "I'd have to go with Audrey below and Evie above," he said before taking another bite of his hoagie. As an afterthought, he asked Jay, "You seriously think Uma would bottom?"

Jay shrugged, "Only one way to find out."

"Punch it in!" Chad exclaimed, fist bumping Jay while the rest of the table laughed.

Uma tried to walk away again, but Mal pulled her back once more. Mal gave her a stern glare, and Uma sucked in a deep breath, holding in the urge to yank her arm away and keep walking. Crossing Mal meant social suicide. Still, Uma felt nauseous just listening to those numbskulls talk about her.

"Hey Chad," said the flirty voice of Audrey, and Uma became alert. Just as Mal hoped, Chad's voice changed to a low, admiring tone. She listened closely to his inflection, his punctuation, and his word choice. He tried to impress Audrey by boasting about his most recent football game, and then when Audrey asked him the lunchtime poll, he fumbled over his words. By the time Audrey left, Uma had stored tons of information on Chad's voice.

"Get enough?" Mal asked Uma, making her voice observance sound like a battery charging.

"Plenty," Uma replied, feeling overwhelmed with the blabber of barbarians. Mal grabbed her arm again and dragged her back to the lunch table. Uma was getting sick of being pushed around by Mal, but it was more rewarding than being pushed around by literally everybody else. No one smacked her lunch tray anymore.

Evie and Audrey rejoined Mal and Uma at the table after spending a few more minutes asking the lunchtime poll. Mal placed her hands on the table and gave each one of them a wicked smile. "It's go time," she said, referring to a plan that Uma still did not know about. Mal faced Audrey and asked, "Did you get it?"

"Of course," Audrey replied, pulling a black flip phone out of her pink-jacket pocket and placing it in Mal's hand. "Swiping it from Chad was easier than–"

"Shut up, Audrey," Mal commanded.

"Sorry Mal," Audrey said.

"Anyway," Mal turned to Uma and held the phone out to her. "Now it's time to put that siren voice of yours to use."

"What am I doing?" Uma asked warily, taking the phone from Mal.

"I just found out that Chad used to hang out with…" Mal paused for dramatic effect, "…Gil Legume."

"Oh my God," Evie gasped, covering her hand with her hand.

"Freak-Ass Gil?" Audrey checked in surprise.

Uma bit her tongue and pressed her lips together to keep herself from snapping. For starters, until three weeks ago, she herself used to hang out with Gil. Second of all, Uma could tolerate Mal calling her Shrimpy, but she was even more annoyed by Gil's label. _"How very clever! The acronym is fag! Grow up, people!"_

"We all did," Uma insisted, keeping her voice steady despite how much she wanted to yell at them. "In kindergarten, we all did."

The reminder didn't seem to ring a bell. Part of being popular was forgetting any time before you became popular or any connection you had with those who weren't popular. Audrey quickly squashed the objection with her own. "Yeah, but not all of us kissed on the kickball field."

"Oh right, Chad kissed Gil," Evie said with a giggle. Then, she added in a distressed tone, "Mother made me go to church three times that week after witnessing it."

"Anyway, back to the plan," Mal said, calling the attention back to her. "You're going to call Gil with Chad's phone and invite him to Chad's party in Chad's voice."

"What? Why?" Uma asked incredulously. This couldn't be Mal suddenly wanting to include Gil in popular kid endeavors. She had to have some other plot.

"Just trust me," Mal said, a mischievous gleam in her eye. "I'm having a little fun."

"But why Gil?" Uma asked, setting the phone down on the table. Mal looked at it and furrowed her brow, confused by the opposition–something she wasn't used to. "He hasn't done anything to you. Besides, he's had a thing for Chad since kindergarten. Something like this would crush him and–"

"Are we gonna have a problem?" Mal cut her off with a tantalizing smile. "Are you really sure you wanna complain?" She slowly walked around the table to Uma's side, Audrey and Evie on either side of her. Uma suddenly felt like the prey again, being stalked by a pod of predators. Once she stood in front of Uma, her smile fell. "You've come so far, why now are you pulling on my dick?"

Uma opened her mouth to speak, but Mal beat her to the punch. "On any other day, I'd slap you and send you off in front of the whole student body, but you've caught me in a good mood," Mal said with a reassuring pat on Uma's shoulder. Uma stiffened at the contact. "I'm gonna give you some advice, so read my lips, be-otch!"

With that, she shoved Uma down onto her seat and leaned in real close, giving Uma nothing else to look at. "You're part of the most popular clique in this school, and you're only with us because I decided to bring you in. You're still learning the ropes, so here's a lesson for you." Mal took her hand off Uma's shoulder, and Uma pulled her jacket to smooth it out. "What are we?" Mal asked Uma.

"Ladies of the Court," Uma drawled. "Princesses of Auradon Prep."

"To everyone else, yes," Mal replied, putting her hands on her hips. "Everyone else thinks this is a kingdom where we're in charge, and we _want_ them to think that. However, we cannot think the same way."

She stepped aside and gestured to the cafeteria full of students. She looked back to Uma and told her, "To us, this is a candy store, and we run the counter. We decide who can afford to get a treat and who gets thrown out." Mal dropped her hip and sighed, "Now, if you lack the balls, you can go back to being a total nerd with your weird little friend. Spend all of senior year getting pushed around by everyone."

Uma scowled at Mal. She had to admit that, even though being popular had its negatives, she hated getting picked on for the entirety of middle and high school just because she fell–or was pushed–into a storage unit of krill and shrimp during a seventh grade field trip to the aquarium. She had Mal to thank for that since she was the one who crowned her with a petty nickname that stuck like glue. Mal also proved to be the only one who could erase her name from the high school blacklist.

"Or you can forget him," Evie offered, her expression just as grave as Mal's. "And prove you have what it takes to be one of us.

"It's more than just looking hot and screwing guys," Audrey added, her brown ponytail flowing to and fro behind her. "It's about showing these students who has the power. I'm even willing to bet that if your freakish friend had the chance–"

"SHUT UP AUDREY!" Mal shouted at Audrey before shoving her to the ground. A few bystanders glanced at Audrey on the ground, but no one made a comment or caused a commotion. This happened more often than one would think. Mal had a tendency to become rather fed up with how much her friend likes to hear herself talk, and she had no problem getting physical. Mal took a deep breath to compose herself before pulling an evil smirk back onto her face.

"We're worshipped in this school," Mal stated, once again leaning in close so she was right in front of Uma. "Do you want to be worshipped or do you want to be tossed out?"

"You wanna stay a loser?" Audrey raised, pushing herself back to her feet and straightening out her outfit. She pretended like she wasn't just pushed onto the floor. It annoyed Uma how she could recover from getting shoved to the ground by Mal, but Uma couldn't recover from anything she said or did.

"Come on, Uma. Don't be a lame-ass," advised Evie. Uma glared at the blue-haired girl. How could she possibly be a role model for little kids if she considered petty pranks a suitable pass time?

"Yeah," Mal drawled out, raising her eyebrows. "Time for you to prove you're not Shrimpy anymore."

Uma's eyes went from Mal to Audrey to Evie, and back to Mal. She didn't see the Ladies of the Court. Instead, scenes of the past flashed before her eyes. Days when Gil stayed home sick and she sat alone at lunch. Times when a jock was bored and didn't have anything better to do than steal her journal and tear out a few pages. All those moments where she was called Shrimpy or picked on because she was weak and defenseless, a total Girl Scout. Those moments when she prayed to every known deity for someone to come fight for her.

It seemed as though Mal was enough to fend off the living nightmare of high school, but if Uma wanted to cross the bridge, she'd have to pay the toll. She chewed on her lip, took a deep breath through her nose, and closed her eyes.

"Give me the damn phone," she said through gritted teeth.

Evie picked up the phone and handed it to Mal, who held it out to Uma. Uma snatched it from her hand and flipped it open, her hands shaking in anger as she typed in Gil's number. She had it committed to memory. He was her best friend after all.

 _"Mal's your friend now,"_ Uma told herself, trying to convince her conscience that what she was doing was okay. _"Mal and Evie and Audrey. They're your friends now."_

Uma hit the call button and held the phone to her ear. She swallowed hard, preparing her throat to mock the jock. The phone rang three times before she heard Gil answer, "Hello?"

"Hey Gil," Uma said in Chad's voice. "It's Chad."

"Chad?" Gil asked, his voice cracking nervously. "Hey, how's it going?"

"Doing great, man," Uma said, thinking back to the way Chad talked when he flirted with Audrey. She dropped her tone and tried to sound more suave yet vulnerable. "Anyway, I was thinking about us back in the old days, and I was hoping that you could stop by my party tomorrow night. Maybe you and I could hang."

"Oh, seriously?" Gil replied, his voice brimming with disbelief.

"Yeah, seriously," Uma answered back. She closed her eyes and cringed at her own deed.

 _"I'm so going to Hell for this,"_ she thought to herself.

"Okay, sure," Gil said, "I'll be there." Then he hung up. Uma pulled the phone away from her face, closed it, and handed it back to Mal.

"Well done," she said, turning on her heel and walking off to continue with the lunchtime poll.

Once Mal and her carbon-copies left, Uma pushed herself onto her feet, picked up her own clipboard, and made a beeline for the exit. Her fists were clenched tightly at her sides, and the clipboard creaked under the pressure. She wanted to punch something. She wanted to throw up. She wanted to scream. All of this anger and frustration was directed at, not just Mal, but at herself as well. Audrey was right, it was more than just clothes and status. It was a power struggle. Uma was weak against the social pressures of being a Lady of the Court, and now it was changing who she was. As she neared the exit, she prayed for the thousandth time in her life for that knight in shining armor to come down and fight the battle she was losing.

"Looks like someone's finally sick of bowing down to the prissy pink princesses and Diet Coke heads," said a rugged brogue, one that sent chills down Uma's spine. She stopped dead in her tracks when her suspicion from earlier was confirmed. She didn't think it was possible, but she didn't know the voice. "You may have a soul, but we're all born marked for evil."

* * *

 **Hey guys! Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Let me know what you thought of 'mystery man's' entrance at the end there. ;) Good Night! -JoJo, who just got back from a concussion :)**


	3. Fight For Me

_Previously on Ladies of the Court:_

 _"You may have a soul, but we're all born marked for evil."_

 _And Now..._

"Was that Baudelaire?" Uma asked, intrigued by this new voice. It made her forget her frustration over the whole Mal and Gil situation for the moment. She turned towards the source of the voice to find the same blue eyes which were watching her earlier. They came with an angular jaw, fair skin, and messy dark hair.

"Why yes, it was," this unfamiliar boy replied, a hint of amusement in his half-smile. "But I'm afraid knowing your French poetry won't save your friend from his impending humiliation at this party you just invited him to."

"How did you–" Uma began, flustered by his jab at her decisions. She knew inviting Gil to Chad's party using Chad's phone wasn't right, but she didn't need some smooth-talking, trench-coat wearing guy in–is that guyliner?–telling her she did a terrible thing. Uma remembered how his eyes were following her at the beginning of lunch. "Are you stalking me?" she asked him.

"Not stalking, love," he replied, shutting his book and standing up from his seat. Uma ignored the way her face heated up at the courteous nickname and kept her concentration on the boy. "Listening, and I don't see how it's very different from what the swatch dogs enlist you to do."

He started to walk past her, but Uma didn't want him to leave. Spending time with the Ladies of the Court starved her of intellectual conversation. She wanted to continue their back-and-forth, and she also really liked listening to his voice.

"Wait," she called after him before he was too far from her. He turned to face her, and Uma blanked on what to say. She couldn't just outright tell him 'Hey, I like your voice. Keep talking.' That'd only drive him away. She needed a better reason lest she looked like a fool in front of the only guy in this school who didn't want to laugh at her, complain about her, or screw her senseless. While he waited expectantly for what she stopped him for, Uma pulled her clipboard to her chest and tapped her fingers against it nervously. Then, she looked down at the clipboard and got an idea.

"You must be new here," Uma assumed, a friendly smile on her face as she propped her clipboard against her hip. "And here at Auradon Prep, we have this thing called a lunchtime poll. Would you mind sticking around and answering a quick question?"

Blue Eyes–Uma started calling him that in her head–didn't say a word. He pursed his lips together in thought before nodding his head in agreement. He walked back to the table and sat on the edge, putting himself at eye level with Uma. He folded his hands in front of him had a slight slouch even though he leaned back. Uma was so busy observing every detail about him that she almost forgot she had to ask him the poll. She looked down at the clipboard and mentally kicked herself. She forgot how awful the question was.

"Uh, this may sound like a really stupid question," Uma admitted nervously, worried this mysterious young man might try to walk away again.

"There are no stupid questions," he replied calmly, pointing a finger at the ceiling in a matter-of-fact manner.

 _"Oh God, he really is an intellectual,"_ Uma thought to herself, trying really hard not to stare into his eyes for too long. She tapped the clipboard with her knuckle and explained the scenario on the page, "You inherit half a billion dollars the same day aliens invade Earth and announce that they will destroy the planet in two days. What do you do with the money?"

Blue Eyes quirked an eyebrow and chewed on his lip in thought. He looked off to the side and released a withheld chuckle. "That's the stupidest question I've ever heard," he scoffed quietly.

 _"An opinionated intellectual?"_ Uma gasped inside her head. The heat in her face from earlier came back, accompanied by a tingling sensation in her stomach. _"Calm down, Uma. It's just some new kid."_

"Well, I dunno," he sighed, turning his seeking eyes back on her. "Probably get a motorboat and drive out into the middle of the ocean. Bring my dad's liquor stash, two days worth of lobster, and my keyboard."

Uma was speechless. He somehow turned the dumbest lunchtime poll into a water-bound fantasy. The image glowed in her head like some kind of divine scene. Something about it made Uma's mind buzz. It wasn't just his answer. It was the way he smirked when he stopped talking. It was the subtle flex of the muscles in his jaw. And Sweet Jesus, he plays the piano! Not to mention the fact that he had a brain, which is more than can be said for most of the boys Uma found herself associated with recently. His mind wasn't used for anything vulgar or offensive. It was just… _beautiful._

Uma's hands became clammy. Her pulse slowly increased. He may be a new kid, but he definitely peaked her interest.

"How very," Uma replied, making sure her voice didn't crack. She was grinning like an idiot, but it didn't seem to deter him in any way. He smiled right back. Uma bit her lip, and her eyes dropped to the ground. She suddenly felt like a spotlight was on her, but not an isolating spotlight. A warm spotlight.

And then his brogue brought her back to reality. "Are you gonna write that down?"

"Oh, uh," Uma stuttered, fumbling with the clipboard to pull the pen from the clip. She clicked the pen against the board and pressed her wrist against the paper, ready to write. She stole a glance at him while he watched her with an amused expression. She cringed at herself. She probably looked like an airhead. "Would you mind repeating that?" she asked awkwardly.

He nodded and complied, reciting his answer to the question just as he did the first time. Uma scribbled on the page, but she didn't actually write any words. She was focused on his voice, committing the subtle details to memory. Ever since she started mimicking voices, she'd always been so fascinated by accents. This guy seemed to have the perfect balance of pitch and scratch. He drawled some words and emphasized certain syllables, making the vowels sound different than they would if Uma said them. It was mesmerizing.

Uma smiled to herself, still scribbling nonsense on the paper even after he finished talking. She didn't notice his silence until he stood up straight and walked past her.

"Hey, wait," Uma called after him. He once again turned to face her, this time looking mildly annoyed. Uma pushed a stray braid that had fallen out of her scrunchie behind her ear. She didn't want to smother him into a forced conversation, but she did have one last question. "I didn't catch your name," she said imploringly.

He smirked suavely, "That's 'cause I didn't throw it." And with that, he swaggered away.

Uma was left without her voice, her lips parted in wonder. Her eyes followed him across the cafeteria, an unknown emotion rising in her chest. She continued to watch his high collar until she shook her head and squeezed her eyes shut. _"He's just some guy,"_ she admonished herself. _"Get ahold of yourself!"_

A guy was never part of Uma's plan. Then again, neither was being a Lady of the Court, but there she was, in all her schoolgirl-skirt glory.

"I need to sit down," she said aloud, finding a nearby bench and gently easing onto it. She knelt her elbows on the table and pressed her palms into her closed eyes, fruitlessly trying to get those blue eyes out of her head.

* * *

"Who does that guy think he is anyway?" Chad asked his quarterback as he folded his arms over his chest. "Hercules?"

"Looks more like an MCR reject," Jay scoffed, noting the boy's thinly rimmed eyes. They wouldn't have cared for the new kid if it wasn't for Uma's apparent interest in him. The football stars were originally having a debate over who had bigger biceps when they saw the newest addition to Mal's clique talking to some unknown kid in a trenchcoat. Jay narrowed his eyes at the guy when he saw Uma continue to stare at him even after he'd let her company. "Uma's into his act, no doubt," he told his friend.

"Let's kick his ass!" Chad suggested enthusiastically, jabbing his fist into his palm. Jay shook his head.

"C'mon man, we're seniors now," Jay pointed out, a serious look on his face. He kept his eyes trained on the undeniable connection between Uma's eyes and the new kid's back. A surge of jealousy bubbled up inside him. He didn't like this situation one bit. Uma was a popular girl, a Lady of the Court. Only popular guys can have her. Jay was offended by how easily some new guy got her attention. He turned to Chad gave him a slight nod. "Let's give him a good scare though."

Chad nodded in agreement, and the two marched over to where the new kid stood, reading his book. Jay made the first move and roughly threw an arm over the guy's shoulders, yanking him to the side. "Hey sweetheart," Jay jeered into his ear. "What'd your boyfriend say when you told him you were moving to Auradon?"

When the mysterious new guy didn't answer, Chad repeatedly knocked his palm into the back of his head. "My buddy Jay just asked you a question."

Again, they got no answer. Only a low chuckle. Jay looked to Chad and continued his jest in a mocking tone. "Hey Chad, doesn't the cafeteria have a 'no fags allowed' rule?" He and Chad laughed at Jay's quip until their victim decided to speak.

"They seem to have an open door policy for assholes, though."

The two jocks turned dead silent, and their cocky grins dropped. They both glared at the new kid's confident smirk, which dared them to challenge him. Being the meatheads they were, Jay and Chad had no reservation in accepting.

"Grab his arms, Chad," Jay ordered his friend, who immediately complied by roughly pinning their opponent's arms behind his back. Jay clamped a hand on the boy's shoulder as he and Chad dragged him towards an exit. "Let's take this outside," he added menacingly.

* * *

Back in the corner of the cafeteria, Uma sat still, unaware of what was transpiring outside. Students around her had already ditched their lunches to go watch the spectacle outside, but Uma paid them no mind. She was still trying to clear her head after her encounter, but no matter how hard she concentrated, that unique voice found its way back to her mind.

"Uma, what are you doing?" Uma heard Evie's voice question her. Her tone was filled with disbelief rather than accusation. Uma pulled her face out of her hands and looked up at her blue-haired friend. Evie was clearly excited about something. "C'mon, Jay and Chad are fighting someone outside. Let's go watch!"

"You wanna watch that horrible crap?" Uma asked boredly. "No thanks, Evie. I'll pass." Jay and Chad were beating up someone every other day last year. Uma was amazed they hadn't gotten into a fight until this late in the first month of school. Still, she wasn't in the mood to watch Chad and Jay humiliate another student. However, her curiosity moved her to inquire, "Who are they fighting anyway?"

"I don't know," Evie answered dismissively. "Some new guy."

And just like that, Uma was interested. More than interested, she was already on her feet and ready to go. She brushed the creases out of her skirt and fruitlessly tried to hide the undeniable excitement in her voice as she asked, "New guy?"

"Yeah," Evie affirmed with a smirk.

"Oh," Uma said in an attempt to be dismissive. She cleared her throat and put her hands on her hips. "Well, I mean, watching a fight is better than doing nothing, I guess. So, um, let's go!"

Evie narrowed her eyes at Uma but didn't comment. She decided she would only bring it up after collecting more evidence. "Okay then," Evie agreed.

Once the two had followed the commotion outside, Uma shoved her way through the crowd to get to the front. Evie was close behind, but Uma's smaller stature made it easier for her to slip through the barrier of rowdy teenagers. By the time they made it to the center of the circle surrounding the fight, they were fortunate enough to find the brawl had yet to begin. Uma's suspicion about the jocks' opponent was correct. It was Blue Eyes who stood in the ring. Chad still had the boy's arms pinned, and Jay was pacing in front of them, shaking his wrist to ready his first strike.

The crowd was shouting a very unoriginal yet weirdly symphonic fight cheer:

"Holy shit!" "Holy shit!"

"Holy shit!" "Holy shit!"

"Holy shit!" "Holy shit!" "Holy shit!" "Holy shit!" "Holy shit!"

Uma rolled her eyes at her peers before pinning her sights on the impending fight.

"I guess we can call this your 'Welcome to Auradon Prep' gift," Jay announced with a broad smile, staring at Blue Eyes with malicious intent. He clenched his fist and stopped pacing. "This is for calling me asshole, asshole!"

Jay pulled his hand back, and Uma wanted to turn away. She was thankful she didn't because everything happened in an instant. Blue Eyes stomped his boot onto Chad's toe, forcing the blond to release his arms in favor of clutching his own foot in pain. Jay swung at Blue Eyes' face, but the ladder brought his book in front of him and blocked Jay's fist. Jay's fist collided with the book and immediately recoiled his upon contact, his face scrunched in pain as he shook his wrist. He didn't have the time to examine his injury because the same book that he punched struck him across the side of his face and knocked him to the ground. Blue Eyes then turned on Chad and hit him across the side of the head in the same fashion.

"Woah," Uma muttered, a dreamy look in her eye.

"I thought you said fighting was horrible," Evie noted, her inquisitive gaze turning on Uma while her friend watched Jay stand up, only to be kicked between the legs by the trench-coat guy. Uma flinched, but she still appeared to be showing her support for the no-name kid. "I recall you calling it 'crap.'"

"Yeah, well," Uma began, never once prying her attention away from Blue Eyes. Chad pushed himself to his feet as Jay hit the ground with a high-pitched squeal. The linebacker grabbed the back of Blue Eyes' jacket in an attempt to drag him to the ground. Blue Eyes dropped his book and let Chad yank the jacket off his arms, throwing the jock off balance while Blue Eyes prepared for the next move. Uma's eyes went wide once the extra coverage slid off his arms. The trench coat had been hiding a gray, form-fitting muscle tank under a sleeveless plaid over-layer. In other words, his toned arms and defined chest were well within Uma's view. "This just feels kinda right," Uma eventually told Evie.

Chad tried to use the trench coat as some kind of diversion by throwing it at Blue Eyes and charging at him, but his plan didn't work. Blue Eyes snatched his jacket from the air and stepped out of the way, letting Chad keep running until he tripped over Jay, who was still curled in a tight ball on the ground, clutching his precious jewels.

A chorus of 'Ooh's and 'Ah's resounded throughout the crowd. After diving face-first into the concrete, Chad still managed to stand up yet again. Blue Eyes tilted his head and sighed, a bored expression on his face. He tossed the jacket to the side of the crowd, and it just happened to land at Uma's feet. She looked down and hesitated for a moment before deftly picking it up and turning it in her hands until she was clutching the collar. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Evie quirk an eyebrow at her with a knowing smirk on her ruby red lips. Uma gave her a confused look and asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"No reason," Evie replied coyly.

Back to the fight, Chad offered his arm to Jay and helped his friend up. Once both of them were standing–Jay was barely able to remain stable on his wobbly legs–Chad tried charging again, only to receive a much more painful result. Blue Eyes swung his fist and struck Chad right in his perfect nose, using the rushing momentum to make the punch even more powerful. Dazed and blinded, Chad fell right to the ground, out of the fight for good.

Now it was just Jay and Blue Eyes. Jay stumbled forward, throwing a terribly slow punch that Blue Eyes dodged without much trying. Uma caught a wicked smirk on Blue Eyes' face and a crazy look in his bright orbs. He'd been rather nonchalant during the whole fight, but at Jay's atrociously embarrassing mistake, Uma saw the first signs of an indulgent madness in the intellectual no-name kid. It should have deterred her, but it only made her even more fascinated by him.

Jay was now thrown off balance, and Blue Eyes took advantage. He took Jay's head between his leather-clad hands, and then he swiftly smashed his forehead into Jay's.

And then he did it again.

And again.

Uma cringed each time. She was surprised either of them were still alive, and her mouth was left hung open when it had finally ended.

Jay collapsed the instant Blue Eyes released his head, and the crowd was stunned into speechlessness. A few murmurs broke the silence, but it was otherwise quiet. No one could believe it. Jay and Chad had challenged someone to a fight and _lost._

Blue Eyes took a step back from the two defeated jocks, picked up his book, and smiled in satisfaction. His already-unruly hair had been tossed about during the fight, and he ran his free hand through it to smooth it down. Something about the seemingly small action made Uma's knees weak.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Blue Eyes didn't have a lot of time to relish in his victory because the crowd parted to make room for Ms. Godmother to stride into the circle, her expression stern and dutiful as always. She looked down at where Jay and Chad were sprawled out on the ground and gasped dramatically. She turned her authoritative glare on Blue Eyes and stuck a strong, reprimanding finger at the school. "Principal's office!" she declared. "Now!"

Blue Eyes didn't so much as flinch at the teacher's harsh tone. Instead, he sighed, "Sure thing, just a minute." Then, he crossed over to the edge of the crowd, and Uma's heart started to pound in her chest when she realized he was getting closer and closer to her. By the time he was standing right in front of her, Uma was both lost for words and utterly baffled as to why he chose to come to _her_ out of everyone in the crowd right after the fight.

With a smirk still plastered on his face and his blue eyes staring straight into her brown ones, he raised a finger to her chin and gently raised her slack jaw.

"Keep your mouth closed, love," he advised in his low brogue that Uma couldn't get enough of. He winked, and Uma swallowed hard. "You'll catch flies."

With that, he took his jacket from her hands–which Uma realized was the reason he had approached her in the first place–and left with Ms. Godmother. The second he was gone, some football players moved to help Jay and Chad up while the rest of the crowd dispersed and went back to their usual lunchtime activities. Uma was frozen, paralyzed for some reason she couldn't determine. She heard Evie call her name a couple times, but she remained still. It wasn't until Evie snapped her fingers in front of Uma's face that she was shaken from her trance. A small hum escaped her lips:

"Daaaaaaaayuuuuuuum."

* * *

Much to Uma's disappointment, the day went on, and she saw no other sign of Blue Eyes. This meant that he was either expelled, suspended, or avoiding her because she smothered him with questions and stared at him like a fish out of water. When the final bell rang, Uma was disappointed for yet another reason: she was now headed to Audrey's house.

Uma always brought her diary with her to occasions like this because it was often her only source of real entertainment. Audrey would try on a variety of pink dresses and skirts while Mal judged and Uma briefly looked up to give her input, which was often disregarded. However, the focus of the room changed when Mal actually used Uma's real name.

"So, Uma," Mal implored, a mischievous glint in her eye. Uma considered her cautiously before shutting her book and giving Mal her full attention. "What'd you think of the fight today?"

"Uh," Uma began cluelessly, suppressing any feelings brought about by the image of Blue Eyes standing right in front of her with that stupid smirk. "It was just a fight."

"Oh, come on," Audrey gibed in disbelief as she emerged from her walk-in closet. "You were so throwing your panties at that new kid."

"Excuse me," Uma enunciated, blinking in flustered confusion.

"And I know you can't afford replacement panties," Mal added before she and Audrey shared a sickeningly sweet laugh. Uma rolled her eyes and leaned forward in her chair.

"Look, I don't know the kid," Uma emphasized, keeping a neutral expression so the girls would buy her act and drop the subject. "I don't even know his name."

That seemed to do the trick. Mal shrugged, losing interest, and Audrey went back into her closet to pick out some more clothes to try on. Uma sighed, thankful that they left it alone but also saddened by the realization that she still had yet to learn this boy's name. She opened her diary up again and began another entry under the nineteenth.

 _Dear Diary,_

 _Before I joined the Ladies of the Court, I was a nobody. People would pick on me for ridiculous stuff like my height or my hair or that God-awful nickname Mal gave me back in middle school. As lame as it sounds, all I've ever wanted was protection, a shield from it all._

 _I wish I could protect myself, but I wasn't in a place where I was very effective in doing so. I couldn't fight my way through it, and though my anger has prompted me to try to do so many times, having shit like that on my record would hurt my chances of getting into a good college._

 _Gil was picked on just as much as I was. I had put myself out as the protector in that relationship._

 _I used to pray for someone, anyone who could save me from this madness, knowing full well that no such Knight in Shining Armor would actually grace me with his presence._

 _I'd accepted that Mal may have been the closest thing to that knight that I could get. Sure, she also comes at me sometimes, but it's better to have one major pain-in-the-ass than a whole school of them._

 _However, I think I was proven wrong today about Mal being my final protector._

 _This new guy–Blue Eyes, as I've decided to call him–held his own in a fight against both Jay AND Chad. He can actually land a hit, and he lasted way longer than I thought he would. The fact that he won was just icing on the cake. He got in trouble for it and barely batted an eyelash at Ms. Godmother. He has a mind of his own, and it's trained enough to recognize when it was best to just stop fighting and ride with the tide._

 _At the same time, I can't help but wonder if he'd ever want to be associated with me. Here I am, fantasizing about this Mr. No-Name-Kid when I don't even know if he'd be able to act proud around me, whether it's the nerdy nobody or the stuck up Lady of the Court. I'm sure an opinionated young man like himself wouldn't want to be seen with me, but maybe I wouldn't mind what people thought of me if I had someone like him around. Maybe I could be myself. Let those swatch dogs drive us underground! Perhaps we're both two outsiders who only need each other in this dark, unforgiving world. I'd fight for him if he would Fight For Me._

Uma read her entry over and reread it again. She sounded like a desperate sixth grader with a hopeless crush, but part of her didn't care. This was how she felt.

* * *

 **WOW I UPDATED! It's been so long since I updated this. I think the last time I updated was the day after my bday (I turned Seventeen, ironically). So, what'd you guys think of Fight For Me? Did you guys like the introduction of our Descendants-Version-Jason-Dean? What did you think of the fight? Do you think Uma's feelings make sense? Lemme know your thoughts on the chapter in the review. Have a great night! - JoJo, who keeps starting new stories when she hasn't completed others, OH NO IM TURNING INTO ONE OF THOSE AUTHORS!**


	4. Freeze Your Brain

**Hey Guys! I really wanted to get this chapter out today because it's July 11th! 7/11 DAY! I tried getting a free Slurpee this morning at 8 am but they didn't offer free Slurpees until 11 am, so ya girl never got a Slurpee. Speaking of Slurpees, it's time to introduce the iconic 7/11 scene!**

* * *

You've _reached Ursula. I'm not available at the moment, and I probably won't be for the rest of the day, so do us both a favor and don't bother leaving a message after the beep. No one likes a blabber._

 _Beep!_

"Hey, Mom," Uma said into her phone after her mother's oh-so-charming automated message. "I know I already told you, but I'm sure you forgot that I'm spending the night at Mal's. I probably won't be home until some time after 12 noon tomorrow. Call me if anything comes up."

She hung up the phone and sighed. With her mom working double shifts at the diner, Uma had all the freedom in the world to do whatever she wanted. Even if her mother didn't work nonstop, she wouldn't care what Uma did or didn't do. Still, Uma wished she had a mother that cared. Maybe that's why she even bothered to leave a voicemail in the first place, to give herself some false sense of having an adult looking out for her.

Uma was currently sitting in the back seat of Mal's Porsche. Mal was driving, Evie was sitting shotgun, and Audrey was in the other back seat. After a brief drive from Mal's house, they parked in an almost empty lot. There were only one or two other cars and a motorcycle. Uma peaked through the window on Audrey's side and noticed that they were parked outside a Seven-Eleven.

"Evie," Mal said in a commanding tone. "You're on snack detail. Go in and get some picks for the party."

Evie glanced outside her window for a moment. Something inside the store caught her eye, and a devilish smirk spread onto her face. "Actually, I need to touch up my gloss," Evie claimed before turning in her seat to face the back. Uma looked up when she felt Evie's eyes on her. "Uma, would you mind going in instead?"

Uma was put off by how sickeningly sweet her voice sounded. Knowing her friends' streak of mischief, Uma was prepared to decline and stay where she was seated, but Mal piped up, "You heard her, Shrimpy. Make it snappy!"

Uma rolled her eyes, pushed open the car door, and let herself out before slamming the door shut in an inadequate attempt to vent her frustration. Uma marched up to the Seven-Eleven entrance, but she was called back by Mal's harping voice, "Don't forget the corn nuts! It's not a party without corn nuts!"

"Plain or B.Q.?" Uma asked, facing the car with a venomously polite smile.

"B.Q.!" snapped Mal. Before Uma turned to enter the store, she caught Evie winking at her from inside the car. Clearly, Evie knew something that she didn't, and it worried Uma.

Regardless, Uma walked into the store and made a beeline for the snack rack. She squinted her eyes at the labels on the many-colored packages until she found a red bag with 'B.Q.' printed on the top in big white letters. She reached out and lifted a few bags off the thin metal bar from which they were hanging. She was so focused on the corn nuts that she didn't hear the boots on the tiled floor behind her.

"Greetings and salutations."

Uma nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of _his_ voice. She ended up dropping the snack packages on the floor when she whirled around to face the infamous No-Name-Kid she had so cleverly nicknamed Blue Eyes.

Uma made a mental note to kill Evie later (Not that she'd actually kill her, but you get the gist).

Blue Eyes snickered at her reaction, and Uma rolled her eyes with a sigh. Her whole life, she had grown so used to people making fun of her. However, she wasn't expecting him to crouch down, pick up the corn nuts, and hold them out to her. A small smile slipped onto Uma's lips as she graciously took the bags from him.

"You want a Slurpee with that?" Blue Eyes offered, shaking his own colorful cup for Uma to see.

"No, but if you're nice, I'll let you buy me a Big Gulp," she teased as she walked past him to the cash register. The cashier seemed to be off duty at the moment, so Uma set her goods down and leaned against the counter while she waited. Meanwhile, Blue Eyes bore a confused expression.

"Big Gulp?" he repeated incredulously. "That's like going to Mickey D's to order a salad. A Slurpee is the crowned jewel of the house. When you go to a Seven-Eleven temple–" he crossed over to the Slurpee machine and dramatically smacked the glowing image on the top "–you pray at the altar of slush. Now, did you say cherry or lime?"

"I said Big Gulp," Uma asserted, even after Blue Eyes had already grabbed another Slurpee cup. He stopped himself, set the cup back down, and slowly turned around to face Uma. He smirked despite himself and slowly crept over to her, stopping right in front of her and leaning an elbow onto the counter to put himself closer to her height. For a while, they did nothing but look at each other with a kind of fascinated curiosity. Neither could take their eyes off the other, and neither felt the urge to. Uma didn't even know why he decided to stand so close to her, but she didn't want him to go away. She chuckled softly and narrowed her eyes at him.

"Are you ever going to tell me your name?" she asked in a pointed tone.

"And why would I wanna do that?" he replied with another question, tilting his head. He lifted his Slurpee straw to his lips and took a long, noisy sip. Uma wondered whether he was trying to be annoying or alluring. For some reason, she assumed either would work.

"How about a deal?" she suggested, and he raised his eyebrows to show he was listening. "I'll tell you my name if you tell me yours." She didn't wait for his response. Instead, she held out her hand for him to shake and introduced herself. "I'm Uma."

It probably wasn't a good idea to satisfy your end of a bargain without knowing if the other person would pull through with their side. That was Deal-Making 101, a basic rule of an even trade, but Uma didn't really care at the moment. Something about this guy was making her act all sorts of different.

"Uma," he tested her name in a voice so quiet, it was almost a whisper. Uma was reminded just how much she loved his voice. Hearing her name on his lips was probably the best sound to ever grace her trained ears. "Alright, I suppose I'll end the suspense," he conceded with a shrug as he took her much smaller hand into his own. "Harrison James Hook. Harry for short."

Harry's hand was cold from holding the Slurpee, and the temperature combined with the rough feel of his skin sent goosebumps up Uma's arm. They shook hands twice before pulling away. Uma busied herself with opening a jar of Twizzlers on the counter. "So, Harry Hook," she ventured, putting a piece of licorice between her teeth. "That thing you pulled at lunch today was pretty severe."

"Well, the extreme always seems to make an impression," Harry said wisely, and Uma nodded in agreement.

"Did'ya face any heat for it?" Uma asked, whipping her licorice around as she spoke.

"Nah, Godmother let me off easy," Harry replied with a smug smile. "She talked my ear off for a good half'n hour, but she let me go since it was my first day."

"You kicked two athletically entitled assess into the dirt, and didn't even get a slap on the wrist?" Uma laughed in disbelief, but Harry didn't look like he was kidding. Uma remembered the way her heart rate soared when she first talked to this guy because the exact same feeling came back. He was definitely something else. "What brings a Baudelaire-quoting badass like you to Auradon City?"

"My dad's work," Harry sighed, his jaw set in contempt. "Thanks to him, I'm already on my eleventh high school."

Uma offered him a sympathetic look. "Must be hard, always moving around."

"Yeah, well," Harry began, pausing to sip at his Slurpee. He looked down at the floor, hiding his emotions from view. "Everyone's life has some static."

"Ain't that the truth," Uma agreed in a low tone, finishing off her candy and taking a moment to look over the counter. _"Where the hell is that cashier?"_ she wondered to herself.

"UUUUUMMMMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" screeched the dragon queen from her car window. Both Uma and Harry looked in the direction of the door, which they found was closed. Both teens were wondering how the hell her voice carried through the door.

"Here's an example," Uma said with a strained smile. "I don't really like my friends."

"I don't really like your friends either," Harry stated matter-of-factly.

"They're not even my actual friends," Uma went on, finding herself comfortable in Harry's company even though they'd only met that day. "They're more like my coworkers, and our job is being popular and shit."

Harry snorted in amusement, his half-smile returning. "Maybe you should take a vacation."

"I wish," Uma said with a pointed glare towards the purple Porsche outside. "I'm on my way to a party full of drunk jocks and stoned drama queens, so vacation might have to wait."

"Then just skip the party," Harry advised, standing up straight and holding his arms out at his sides to emphasize his point. "Forget those jerks and hang here."

"Saturday night in a Seven-Eleven," Uma considered aloud, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "Quite a swanky first date."

Harry wasn't deterred by her bold comment. If anything, he was only mild offended by her implied jab at the venue. "C'mon, I love this place," Harry told her earnestly.

"No offense, but why?" Uma inquired.

"'Cause even though I travel to so many different places," Harry droned on, turning his back to her and walking into the aisles as well as out of Uma's vision. "The Seven-Elevens are always the same."

Enticed to follow him, Uma put the lid back on the jar of Twizzlers and wandered into the racks of snacks after him. Despite the compact nature of the store and the fact that it was only her and Harry inside at the moment, Uma lost him the instant he turned a corner. She peeked around the end of the aisle, where she expected to find the playful loner, but he wasn't there. She couldn't even hear his footsteps, and her height–much to her vexation–wasn't sufficient to let her see over the racks.

Turn after turn, she still couldn't find him. She stopped caring about how much time she was wasting getting lost in the linoleum aisles and about how pissed Mal would be when Uma went back to the car. She was enjoying the thrill of the chase, even though Harry seemed to be a seasoned pro at evading her on his own turf.

"Sherwood Forest, Auroria, Cinderellasburg…" Harry listed off, and Uma followed his voice around the next corner. She peered around the edge, but alas, he still wasn't there. She frowned at the missed opportunity, but the disappointment was quickly replaced by an electric shock down her spin, trigger by warm breath against her neck. "They're always right there."

Uma jumped and spun around, coming face to face with his crooked grin. Her heart hammered against her chest, both out of surprise and embarrassment. There was a mischievous glint in Harry's eye as he took another chug of his Slurpee. A wicked cackle escaped his throat while Uma straightened out her jacket.

"Does your mommy know you run off to abandoned convenience stores to eat that sugary crap?" Uma quipped with mocking inflection, her goal to get him back for scaring her… _twice_.

"Maybe, if she were alive," Harry replied, idly swirling the slush in his cup with the straw. Uma's eyes went wide, and she mentally kicked herself for asking even though she didn't know his reply would be so depressing. She opened her mouth to apologize, but Harry spoke first. "It's just me and my dad, but I take care of myself. In all my experience, I've learned the world owes me nothing."

He turned to walk away, and this time Uma stayed close behind him so as not to lose track of him. When the two reached the front of the store again, Uma found the courage to comment. "That sounds lonely."

"It sounds realistic," Harry corrected, pivoting on one foot to face her while still walking backward. He narrowed his eyes at her with scrutiny, and Uma suddenly felt uncomfortable, like he was looking into her. "What do you see in your future, Uma?" he asked out of nowhere, and he didn't give her a chance to respond. "College? A full-time career? A husband fresh outta law school?"

He let out a dark chuckle and sipped his drink for the umpteenth time (Uma was surprised there was any slush left in his cup). Uma felt her face heat up, a sign of her distress under Harry's fixated gaze. "While that may sound all bright and dandy," he mused with an exaggerated cheeriness. "The sky's gonna hurt when it falls."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Uma asked accusingly, crossing her arms defensively over her chest.

"It means you better be ready to face pain in return for happiness," Harry clarified. "There's a reason I'm satisfied with the way that I live. I have no emotional ties to anyone, anywhere. No one can make me happy, but no one can cause me any more pain–" he turned his back to Uma, once again hiding the way his face contorted in submission to his inconsistent emotions while his voice picked up volume and intensity "–and even if I do feel pain, even if I do remember I won't be in one place much longer than a few months, even if I do remember that there's a voice in my head screaming for me to put a gun to my temple–!"

Uma cleared her throat, and that seemed to be enough to ground Harry back to earth. He stood there, very still for what felt like a long time but what was really only a few seconds. Then, he started ravenously sucking on his Slurpee straw. After a while, he pulled the straw from his mouth and pressed his palm against his forehead, releasing a pained grunt. When at last he faced Uma once more, his sharp features had relaxed as an unusual result of his headache. "I find that a little physical pain reminds me that I'm still alive," Harry finished in a hushed voice before holding out his Slurpee cup to Uma. "Try it."

Some instinct deep down told Uma to run, but for some reason, she stayed. She couldn't help but understand what Harry was feeling. They lived in a world that didn't care about them, and it hurt. Anger and resentment were their natural states of being, but they had to keep those emotions locked up if they wanted to survive. Uma didn't find his outburst as disturbing as most others might. She knew that she could do the same thing at any given moment.

With minimal hesitation, Uma accepted the offered drink and held the icy cup between her hands. Harry's eyes, as cold as the drink, never left her as she pinched the straw between her fingers and placed the end in her lips. Uma found the flavor itself was sour and sweet at the same time, and the texture was rough until the ice melted and became as smooth as a calm river. Her eyes flicked up to meet his, and she found herself hypnotized. She didn't realize just how long she was sipping the drink for.

"I don't see the–" she started, but she was cut off by a piercing sensation behind her eyes. She smacked her hand against her head and exclaimed, "Son of a bitch!"

"Yeah, there's the kick," Harry said coolly, taking the Slurpee back from her. When Uma's brain freeze subsided, Harry gave her an apologetic look. "Sorry for blowing up a second ago."

"Don't worry about it," Uma replied, waving her hands dismissively. "Contrary to what you believe, I think it's okay to feel things."

The corner of Harry's mouth turned up in his signature smirk, impressed by the challenge to what he thought was a fool-proof philosophy. Keeping his eyes on hers, he rapt his knuckle against the counter and called out, "Albert, you got a customer!"

"I'm comin'!" groaned a grouchy voice from the back door. A short, pump old man hobbled out of a room below a sign, which read 'Employees Only.' Uma shot Harry an incredulous glare.

"You couldn't have done that sooner?" she asked him in a hushed tone.

"Where's the fun in that?" Harry shot back, a cat-like grin growing across his cheeks. He turned to the man behind the counter and gestured to the bags of corn nuts. "All this and another Slurpee, I'm payin'."

"You don't need to do that," Uma asserted. "You don't owe me anything, and I don't wanna be in your debt."

"Consider it a courtesy of Jolly Roger Deconstruction," he proclaimed as he waltzed back over to the Slurpee machine. "Now, I'll repeat myself: Did you say cherry or lime?"

* * *

"Did you say Jolly Roger Deconstruction earlier?" Uma asked Harry as he held the door for her on their way out. In one hand, she held a bag full of corn nuts. In the other hand, she held a lime Slurpee.

"Yep, that's me ol' man's company," Harry recounted as he led them over to the lone bicycle in the parking lot. "That psychopath loves to destroy things. I'm sure you've seen the commercials where he blows up the screen with some stage dynamite."

"That's your dad?" Uma asked in disbelief. Harry nodded as he leaned onto his bike. He looked off the side, and Uma noticed how he took up a hardened expression every time their conversation centered around his father. She figured the subject must've been none too pleasant, so she changed the topic. "Nice bike."

"Thanks, it's another courtesy of Jolly Roger," Harry explained, patting the worn leather seat. "It's a little run down, but it does its job. I guess I'll just ride it 'til it breaks."

"Fascinating."

Their moment was interrupted by a blaring car horn from the opposite corner of the parking lot. Uma's head snapped up, and she was met by Mal's annoyed glare from inside her car. Uma sighed, upset that her cherished time with her new acquaintance was getting cut short. "I have to go," she told Harry unenthusiastically.

"So I see." He swung his leg over the seat of his motorcycle, started the engine, and produced a cigarette from one of the compartments. While he placed it between his teeth, he pulled a lighter from his pocket and said, "Well, if you ever need that vacation, you know where to find me."

He lit the cigarette, breathed out a puff of smoke, and drove off into the night. Uma watched him go for a few extra moments, a dumb smile stuck on her face, until that stupid car horn wiped any trace of happiness from her features. With a groan of aggravation, Uma spun around and stomped over to Mal's car.

"God, could you have gone any slower?!" Mal exclaimed once Uma had settled into the back seat. Audrey wasn't paying attention, opting to fix her makeup rather than listen to Mal chew Uma out. Evie was looking at Uma with the same shrewd expression she had earlier. Uma was trying to focus on a street lamp outside the window so she wouldn't have to face Mal's wrath. "If I'm late to this party because you decided to have a quickie with creepy-trench-coat kid–!"

"For Christ's sake, that's not what we were doing," Uma declared, her voice even and unwavering. Evie's eyes widened in alarm when Uma dared to cut Mal off. Audrey still didn't seem to care.

Uma held Mal's venomous green eyes for another second before returning back to her original position to stare out the window. "Can we just go?" she sighed, looking forward to the end of this night before it even starts.

"Fine," Mal chirped, starting the car and driving them out of the Seven-Eleven lot.

Every second since the car left the parking lot, the car was dead silent with the exception of one noise: Uma slurping her Slurpee through the bright colored straw. It didn't take long for the other three to get annoyed, and Audrey eventually became fed up with the noise.

"Can you stop with the slushie?" she whined, closing her compact mirror. "You're gonna freeze your brain or something."

Uma gave her a pointed glare over her shoulder, her right eye twitching from both irritation and the dull ache that had festered between her temples. She pulled the straw from her lips and turned away from Audrey, the words she wanted to say remaining unsaid.

 _"That's the idea."_

* * *

 **YAY! FREEZE YOUR BRAIN IS UP, AND I DID IT ON 7/11! I hope ya'll enjoyed this chapter. The next one is sure to be veeeery eventful, so it'll likely be a while before that one. Please, let me know what you though in the reviews! As always, I love ya'll, and have a great evening. -JoJo, who got her June SAT scores today, yipee :)**


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